Throat Muscle Exercises

by
KEITH STRANGE Last Updated: Jun 23, 2015

Keith Strange

Keith Strange spent more than a decade as a staff writer for newspapers in the southeastern United States, winning numerous awards for his work. He has a B.S. in wellness/sports medicine from Averett University and completed graduate work in exercise physiology. Strange is a former competitive martial artist and holds a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do.

Women in a yoga class are stretching their necks.Photo Credit 4774344sean/iStock/Getty Images

Exercising the muscles of your throat can help prevent the snoring that’s annoying your partner, make swallowing food easier, give you a leaner and more appealing appearance and keep you looking young. There are more than 50 pairs of muscles in your throat that help you swallow food including your tongue, the muscles of your pharynx and the sphincter muscles that push the food toward your stomach. If you have a condition that makes swallowing difficult, stop and go see a doctor immediately, since this can be a symptom of a much more serious problem. If you’re wanting to stop snoring or look younger, some exercises can help.

Curing The Snore

If snoring is a problem in your relationship, you can use this exercise to help eliminate the loud snoring that can make sleeping with your partner difficult. It is performed by opening and closing your mouth as wide as possible, being sure that you close your mouth fully. Perform eight to 10 of these motions and then pucker your lips tightly and hold for about 10 seconds. Now open your mouth as wide as you can and perform an exaggerated smile. Repeat all three movements in series.

Chin Push

This exercise is touted as a way to strengthen the muscles of your throat, and can help you look younger as well as stopping that annoying snoring problem, according to StopSnoringZZZ.com. Use the fingers of your hand to apply slight pressure to the bottom of your chin and press against your fingers with the muscles of your throat. Be sure that you don’t move your head when performing this exercise, since this can work the muscles of the back of your neck rather than your throat. Try to keep your head as still as possible while using the muscles of your throat to apply resistance to your fingers. Hold this contraction for two to three minutes and repeat as directed by your doctor.

Throat Crunches

The throat crunch exercise features a more familiar movement to fitness buffs because it uses the force of gravity to provide resistance for your throat muscles. Begin by lying down on your back on a table or bed while allowing your head to hang down over the edge. Use the muscles of the front of your neck to lift your head up until your chin touches, or comes close to touching, your chest. Repeat this exercise 10 times daily.

Chin and Throat Tightening Exercise

Begin by lifting your lower lip firmly while applying enough pressure with your muscles to tighten the muscles of your chin. Hold this position for a moment and then keep your lower lip contracted while lowering your chin as if you were trying to tuck it into your throat. Be sure that you don’t bend your neck when trying to tuck your chin. The movement should be accomplished through the strength of your throat muscles, rather than the muscles along the back of your neck. Hold this position for several seconds and repeat 10 to 12 times as needed.

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